"Well, but it does, you know."

"What do you mean--what things?"

"Well, it feels--gnomy, to me. I s'pecks there's lots of elves
about--hidden in the shadows, you know, an' peeping at us."

"There aren't any elves,--or gnomes," said Anthea petulantly, for she
was still furiously angry with herself.

"But my Uncle Porges told me--"

"Oh!" cried Anthea, stamping her foot suddenly, "can't you talk of
anyone, or anything but--him? I'm tired to death of him and his
very name!"

"But I thought you liked him--an awful lot, an'--"

"Well, I don't!"

"But, you said--"

"Never mind what I said! It's time you were in bed asleep,--so come
along--at once, sir!"

So they went on through the orchard together, very silently, for Small
Porges was inclined to be indignant, but much more inclined to be hurt.
Thus, they had not gone so very far, when he spoke, in a voice that he
would have described as--quivery.

"Don't you think that you're--just the teeniest bit--cruel to me, Auntie
Anthea?" he enquired wistfully, "after I prayed an' prayed till I found
a fortune for you!--don't you, please?" Surely Anthea was a creature of
moods, to-night, for, even while he spoke, she stopped, and turned, and
fell on her knees, and caught him in her arms, kissing him many times:

"Yes,--yes, dear, I'm hateful to you,--horrid to you! But I don't mean
to be. There!--forgive me!"

"Oh!--it's all right again, now, Auntie Anthea, thank you. I only
thought you were jest a bit--hard, 'cause it is such a--magnif'cent
night, isn't it?"

"Yes dear; and perhaps there are gnomes, and pixies about. Anyhow, we
can pretend there are, if you like, as we used to--"

"Oh will you? that would be fine! Then, please, may I go with you--as
far as the brook? We'll wander, you know,--I've never wandered with you
in the moonlight,--an' I do love to hear the brook talking to
itself,--so--will you wander--jest this once?"

"Well," said Anthea, hesitating, "it's very late!--"

"Nearly nine o 'clock, yes! But Oh!--please don't forget that I found a
fortune for you--"

"Very well," she smiled, "just this once."

Now as they went together, hand in hand through the moonlight, Small
Porges talked very fast, and very much at random, while his eyes,
bright, and eager, glanced expectantly towards every patch of
shadow,--doubtless in search of gnomes, and pixies.

But Anthea saw nothing of this, heard nothing of the suppressed
excitement in his voice, for she wa